Ordinary World
by jjscm01
Summary: A series of vignettes about Mickey's life post-Delaney.
1. Chapter 1

**A/N:** Set during the episodes "Fatal Consequences" and "Don't Bring Me Down".

...

 _I turned on the lights, the TV and the radio_

 _Still I can't escape the ghost of you_

Mickey flicks off the radio and turns into the familiar car park at Sun Hill, then sits for a moment, his stomach churning. In a minute he'll have to go in and face people. He isn't ready. He'll never be ready.

It's the night shift, he reminds himself. There won't be that many people about. He checks his reflection in the rear-view mirror: he's wearing his best suit. The bruise on his forehead from where Delaney had hit him has finally faded, the cut healed over. He doesn't look too tired. To an outsider, he looks completely normal, together even.

He'd known that working for the Canley branch of MIT would bring him into contact with his old colleagues at some point. Gary's dad's disappearance had just brought about the inevitable. He tries to focus on what Gary must be feeling right now. Personally he'd be delighted if his old man disappeared without trace, but Gary must be going through hell.

He knows he should move quickly. There's no hope of finding Mr Best alive, not with all the blood they've found, but he needs to get on and interview the suspect. He wonders who will be the first person he sees when he goes in. Bumping into Jack wouldn't be too bad, they've seen each other a few times since Mickey transferred, but he can't face the thought of seeing Okaro or Sam or Ramini or Reg... or Smithy.

Minutes pass and he realises he can't sit here anymore. His boss will be calling soon for an update. He gets out of the car and strides towards the front desk, ready to show everyone just how together he is.

...

Jack is back with Rachel. _Jack is back with Rachel._ He can't believe it. He'd thought he'd managed to get through to Jack, that him calling things off with Rachel had been the one good thing to come out of... what happened. Now he's talking about settling down with the GBH-committing prostitute and a baby that might not even be his.

"You can forget playing happy families with your tart, Guv," Mickey says harshly, wanting to provoke Jack, wanting Jack to lose his temper like he would have done in the past, but Jack doesn't react at all. Because Mickey is damaged goods now and Jack won't even raise his voice to him.

Talking to Jack doesn't work, so he pulls Rachel aside, much to Tony's despair. "Why do you hate me so much?" Rachel asks quietly, one hand on her pregnant belly. "Because of Delaney? I swear Mickey, if I'd known what he was going to do I'd never have asked for your help..."

So Jack had told her, of all people. As if it isn't bad enough having all of Sun Hill and half the Met knowing.

"I don't hate you," he says, although at that moment it isn't true. He knows it is irrational; they'd both been victims of Delaney after all. "I just don't want Jack to lose his career... and if you really cared about him, you wouldn't either."

And something he said must have gone in, because Rachel's barrister doesn't ask Jack about their affair and Jack's career is saved. Rachel gets let off with a suspended sentence and Mickey can see how relieved Jack is.

He can't feel the relief himself, not even for Jack keeping his job, because he knows that in a month or so he'll be back here again, giving evidence against Delaney this time. He's been in the witness box dozens of times in his career, but this time it will be different.

This time it will be Mickey on trial.


	2. Chapter 2

**A/N:** Set between the episodes "Office Politics" and "The Decoy, Part One".

...

"This is DS Michael Webb."

Mickey nodded around at his new colleagues, some of whom murmured greetings. His new DCI gave a quick round of introductions, Mickey knowing full well that he wouldn't remember all these names for a while.

"Today you'll be paired with DS Garrett. She'll show you the ropes, answer any questions you may have." The blonde that Mickey had just been introduced to - Liz? - rolled her eyes and muttered something about _babysitting_ , which the DCI ignored. "I'll be in my office if you need me."

Once the DCI had returned to his office and the other officers had dispersed, Mickey turned to DS Garrett, who gave him an appraising look. "You're from Sun Hill, aren't you?"

Something in her tone needled at him. "Yeah. Well, I worked there for a few years, but I've been with MIT for six months."

"I heard that place is full of bent coppers."

That needled him even more. "Well, you heard wrong. There was only Beech, and Chandler. And he weren't on the take, he was just..." He broke off, not wanting to go into the details of Chandler's crimes. "There's lots of good people there too."

Liz arched an eyebrow. "Okay, Michael. No need to get touchy." She swept past him, adding, "I'll show you how the coffee machine works."

His day didn't get much better. He'd thought that working for the National Crime Squad would be exciting, but his first day consisted mainly of paperwork and being bossed around by Liz, who had obviously been a sergeant for longer than he had.

Apart from Liz, he got on well with his new colleagues. If anyone knew about his past, they didn't show it. Delaney's trial had been tabloid fodder for a few weeks, and it wouldn't take much digging within the police to find out who the 'unnamed male officer' was. He was sure his new DCI had seen his medical records, but he hadn't mentioned it to Mickey, which he was grateful for.

"How's the ice queen?" one of the DCs asked in the afternoon. Liz clearly wasn't popular amongst the team. There was a time when he would have joined in with the banter, joked about how Liz just needed a good seeing to, been rewarded with sniggers and back slaps. That kind of conversation made him uncomfortable now though. He was spared answering by Liz walking past, saying, "Time to stand around chatting, Michael?" He allowed himself to exchange a look with the DC before following Liz. He hoped he wouldn't have to work with her for much longer.

...

Christmas. A time of year that Mickey normally hated. He usually spent it alone, with a bottle of scotch for company in front of the Queen's Speech and Eastenders. Last year, the first year without his mum, the year of the rape, Jack had phoned on Christmas Day to see how he was, but otherwise he hadn't spoken to anyone all day. He wondered absently what Jack was doing today. Was he with Laura and the kids? Their contact had dwindled in the months since Delaney's trial to the occasional text and promises to meet for drinks soon. That didn't matter though, because this Christmas he wasn't alone.

Liz poked her head around the door, her face lit up with the smile that she reserved for him. Her hair, which she always wore pinned up for work, was now in loose curls.

"Star or angel on top of the tree?"

He smiled back. "Make it an angel."

He'd told Liz everything about his past a couple of months ago. He didn't want there to be any secrets between them. She'd cried when he recounted what Delaney had done, and he'd ended up curled up in her arms with his head resting against her shoulder, like he had against Jack that day in the graveyard.

Being in a proper relationship was a new experience for him. Being with Liz was the first time he'd felt strongly about someone since Kate. And OK, his feelings for Liz might not be as intense as his feelings for Kate, but he did love her and thought they could build a future together. Marriage, kids, the lot.

That was what he needed after everything he had been through. Some normality.

He lightly fingered the crucifix necklace around his neck, the one his mum had given him. She would have approved of Liz, he was sure. He didn't feel for the engagement ring in his pocket, but he knew it was there, separate from the other presents.

If this Christmas went to plan, he could have a bright future ahead of him.


	3. Chapter 3

**A/N:** Set during the episode "Back to Basics, Part One".

...

Mickey opened his wardrobe and stared blankly at the clothes there. The suits he'd worn for MIT and the NCS were crumpled and pushed to one side. His eyes fell on the denim jacket he used to wear at Sun Hill, a relic from his old life. Hunting at the bottom of the wardrobe, he found some clean tracksuit bottoms and a grey top to put on. He didn't know why he was bothering to dress, it wasn't like he would see anyone today.

In the kitchen, the evidence of last night's food and drink binge was visible on the surfaces. Even by his own standards, Mickey had to admit that the place was filthy. He'd stopped bothering to throw things away, so the empty bottles and pizza boxes were piling up. Going into the living room wasn't much better. He'd seen tidier burglaries.

Maybe today would be the day he'd get the motivation to clear up a bit. Maybe he'd call his mate and tell him he was accepting the job he'd offered. Maybe he'd have a beer from the fridge before noon.

Finding some space on the sofa, he turned on the TV and flicked through the channels until he found the Jeremy Kyle Show, hoping it would make him feel better about his own life. He'd been off work for more than six months now. Liz had stopped trying to contact him from the prison. He hadn't heard from any of his other colleagues in all the time he'd been on leave. He didn't know if that was because people thought he might be corrupt or because they thought he was incompetent, or possibly mental (stress was the official reason for his sudden departure).

He was alone. He had lots of friends outside the job, but there was no one he could talk to about what had happened to him. No one except Jack... but they hadn't spoken in months.

A year ago he'd been doing ok. His career had been going well and he'd had Liz to support him. Now he couldn't see himself ever walking back into the NCS, and even if he requested a transfer, the suspicion would follow him wherever he went. No one would believe that an experienced officer had failed to notice that his fiancée was bent.

His wallowing was interrupted by a knocking at the front door. Groaning, he got to his feet, ready to tell whoever it was to clear off. Opening the door, he was surprised to see Jack standing there, asking to come in as if it had been no time at all since they'd last spoken. As he let Jack in, he became aware that he hadn't shaved for a few days and there were probably bags under his eyes. The mess in the rooms looked even worse seeing it through Jack's eyes.

Even before Jack explained his reason for being there, he had a sudden feeling that things were about to get worse.

...

Jack hadn't been sure how Mickey would react to the news that Delaney had escaped. He'd expected anger, even been braced for tears, but upon hearing the words Mickey just sighed and slumped against a seat like all the fight had gone out of him. This concerned Jack more than anything.

The anger soon followed, shortly accompanied by self-pity. Jack knew how to deal with that. He told Mickey bluntly to stop feeling sorry for himself, then suggested he come back to work, to help with the investigation. It took a little persuasion; Mickey had a stubbornness that reminded him of Benjamin.

"What can I do?" Mickey asked finally, staring at the wall.

"You caught him last time."

"Yeah, by following Trevor Makin." Mickey looked at Jack with a sudden idea. "You don't suppose..."

Jack shook his head. "We've checked. Makin's left the area. If Delaney's after anyone in Sun Hill, it's probably you." His voice softened.

Mickey straightened up. "I'd better find him first, then."

Jack nodded, allowing himself a smile. "One thing first."

"What?"

"Have a shave. And put the kettle on, I could do with a tea."


	4. Chapter 4

**A/N:** Set during the episode "The Wrong Man".

...

"Michael Webb, arrested on suspicion of rape."

Mickey felt like he was still dreaming. He'd woken up naked in a strange bed, the memories of the previous night hazy at best. There had been a club, drinks, a barmaid, then another girl, more drinks, a fight at some point. He'd dressed and shuffled into the living room of the girl's flat, ready to exchange insincere "I'll call you"s before going home to get ready for work. He'd found the girl - Jenny, her name had come back to him in the panda car - terrified and covered in bruises. Next thing he knew, the front door had burst open and he'd been arrested by a DC who looked about twelve, accompanied by two uniforms. Jenny had been taken to hospital while he'd been brought here, to a nick in the West End not far from the club where this had started.

The duty sergeant barely looked at Mickey as he took down his name and address. Mickey gave his full details and handed over his phone, wallet, keys and warrant card, determined to show that he was cooperating.

"Any watches or jewellery?" asked the desk sergeant, sounding bored. Mickey slid off his signet ring and his watch, then took his necklace off and handed that over too.

"Any medical conditions we should be aware of?"

"No."

"Do you have any alcohol in your system?"

"Probably."

"We'll get you checked out by the FME, make sure you're fit to be interviewed," said the young DC. "Plus we'll need your clothes for forensics."

Mickey nodded. "Can I make a quick phone call?"

"I don't think so."

"I've got the right to one call."

"This isn't Phone a Friend," said the DC, presumably thinking he was being witty. "However, you do have the right to have someone informed of your arrest."

"Fine, then I want my DCI informed. Jack Meadows at Sun Hill."

"I'll call him. You also have the right to representation. Shall I get a solicitor from the Federation?"

"Yeah." Mickey thought he might as well play this by the book.

Once the FME had confirmed he wasn't too drunk for interview and he'd been given a paper suit to wear instead of his clothes, the DC asked if he'd be willing to give an intimate sample. He could have refused, but it wouldn't look good and he wanted this cleared up quickly. After the samples had been taken he was photographed and had his fingerprints taken. He'd been through this procedure many times with suspects, but being on the other side was surreal.

To his relief, he wasn't put in a cell, but told that he'd be interviewed immediately. As he was led to the interview room, he saw Zain approaching the front desk. "What are you doing here?"

"I'm your Fed Rep, remember?" said Zain, loud enough for the other officers to hear, in a tone that left no room for argument.

"Yeah," Mickey said without missing a beat. Jack had obviously sent Zain down to bullshit his way into the interview. Part of him wished Jack had come himself, but still, it was nice to see a friendly face.

The woman sergeant in charge of the interview made no attempt to hide her opinion of Mickey. The male DC seemed more sympathetic now in comparison. Zain sat in the corner while the Federation solicitor sat at Mickey's side. He hadn't been on this side of an interview room since CIB had grilled him about working with Beech.

Being interviewed about the night before was humiliating, but not as much as his cross-examination by Delaney's barrister. He could feel Zain behind him wincing with every personal question asked. He would remember that later, when the rest of the nick was crucifying Zain as a bent copper.

By the end of the interview, Mickey had to admit that it looked pretty bad for him. Jenny had been attacked while Mickey had been asleep. There was no one else in the flat that he knew of. The front door had been locked from the inside.

"How is she?" he asked, finally, when the tape had been turned off.

The sergeant looked him straight in the eye. "How do you think?"

Mickey was afraid that he'd be charged straight away, but instead the DC informed him that he'd be released on bail pending further inquiries. At last, he was allowed to change out of the paper suit and into the clean clothes that Zain had brought him. After collecting his belongings from the front desk, he saw that Jack had finally arrived to join Zain, and appeared to be arguing with the woman sergeant. Mickey met Jack's not-angry-just-disappointed look with a mixture of shame and defiance.

"Let's get back to Sun Hill, shall we?"

Jack drove Mickey back to Sun Hill, mostly in silence. Back at the station, Mickey handed over his warrant card to Jack, who'd had to suspend him. It felt like the end of his career.

Zain joined them in Jack's office, having driven back in his own car. It turned out the other station already knew about the fight that Mickey had had last night in the club. Mickey remembered the rage he had felt as he had lunged at the bloke giving Jenny hassle. He couldn't even explain to himself why he had got so angry now.

"At least it gives us another suspect," Zain pointed out.

 _"Another?"_ Mickey repeated.

"Sorry, man," Zain apologised immediately.

Jack sent Zain to investigate the other man, telling him to keep up the Fed Rep pretence. Mickey was told to go home, as he couldn't help with the investigation. He got the tube, surrounded by oblivious commuters, wondering how his life had reached this new low.

Once he got home, he poured himself a drink and looked in the fridge, but there was nothing to eat. He slumped on the sofa and watched TV for a while, trying not to think about Jenny's bruised face.

...

Jack arrived later in the afternoon, to update Mickey on the investigation. They'd eliminated Jenny's friend's boyfriend, who'd had access to the spare flat keys, as a potential suspect. That left the man from the club, Kelvin Hughes, who couldn't have got into the flat without keys. Mickey fell listlessly back on the settee while Jack discreetly scanned the empty bottles that were lying around.

"So what's going on, Mickey?" Jack asked directly, determined to get to the root of this behaviour. Mickey insisted that there was no problem, that he was just young and having a good time, but Jack pointed out that he didn't look happy at all.

Mickey sighed and closed his eyes. "Make us a cup of tea, will you?"

"Alright, but then we're gonna talk."

They sat at the kitchen table, a cup of tea in front of them both. At last, Mickey started to open up. He was still traumatised by what had happened with Delaney. It had screwed up his relationship with Mia. He even blurted out that he had slept with someone else. Jack wished that he had seen what was going on with Mickey before it had reached this point.

It was time for Jack to get back to the nick and find out if Zain had made any further progress. Mickey showed him out, still seeming utterly defeated and hopeless.

"I just wanna make someone else hurt like I hurt," he said, quietly.

That hurt Jack, more than Mickey could know. "But you didn't hurt Jenny."

"No. I didn't do that."

Jack assured Mickey that he wasn't alone in this, then turned to go, fumbling his car keys and dropping them on the floor. As he bent to pick them up, Mickey's expression changed as the final piece of last night fell into place. Jenny had dropped her keys outside the flat before kicking the door shut. The rapist only had to pick them up.

"I'll let Zain know. He can pick Hughes up, bring him into Sun Hill."

"Let me know what happens, yeah?" Mickey said desperately.

"I'll call you as soon as I know anything." Jack turned to look at Mickey again. "You'll be alright, won't you?"

"Course I will."


	5. Chapter 5

**A/N:** Set during the episode "Respect, Part Two".

...

 _"I wanna make a statement."_

Mickey looked at Jasmine, sitting huddled in the underpass. The evidence of what those animals had done to her was still visible in the cuts on her face. Her words took him back to that day, sitting in the car with Jack.

 _"It's been 72 hours."_

 _"Yeah, well I kept the clothes I was wearing."_

 _"Good."_

Mickey nodded, then looked down. "It's gonna be hard, Jas." They had the medical evidence, but the defence would probably claim that it was all consensual. The fact that Jasmine had voluntarily got into a car with her attackers the next day wouldn't help.

"I know." Jasmine wiped away another tear. She lifted her head and her voice strengthened. "But I ain't gonna let them get away with it."

If he'd had a daughter, she would probably be like Jasmine. Gobby and utterly fearless. He reached out for her hand and she slipped it into his.

...

"Today was one of the good days. Thank you."

The press conference was over. As the journalists began to depart, the remaining officers started to get back to work or head down the pub. Mickey caught Jack's eye as he headed for the doors and they exchanged a nod. Jack's speech to the press had been unusually emotional. Jasmine's rape and the murder of a young man had got to him too.

Passing through the locker room, he saw Smithy for the first time since they had taken Jasmine's statement together. "You coming down the pub?" Smithy asked.

"I'll catch you up." Mickey told him, heading for the gents.

"Alright, mate."

Once he had returned to CID, Mickey sat at his desk and read through Jasmine's statement again. She still had an ordeal ahead of her, but her strength was palpable just from reading her words. When the other desks had cleared he did something he hadn't done for a while and pulled up Delaney's file on his computer. He stared at the familiar photo, at Delaney's pale face, his empty, innocuous eyes.

He could go days without thinking about Martin now. Days like today, dealing with other victims, obviously brought it all back, but sometimes it re-emerged when Mickey wasn't expecting it, when he was down the pub or washing his hair or working a routine case. Maybe it would always be there, at the back of his mind. Delaney was still serving a life sentence for murder, but Mickey knew all too well what 'life' meant. Delaney would be paroled eventually, maybe in the next few years. He'd have to deal with that when it happened.

The night shift was beginning to arrive just as he was leaving. He could still just about remember his first night at Sun Hill, when he'd thought he was going to conquer the world. If someone had told him then that he would still be a DC in ten years he wouldn't have believed it. Even more amazing was that it didn't bother him. Promotion, power, it was all bollocks. Locking up people like Delaney. Helping people like Jasmine. That was what the job was really about.

Tomorrow, Mickey would be back here, ready for another day's work. Right now, he could do with a drink.


End file.
